High voltage connector

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a high voltage connector, capable of being installed in the field, which displays minimal corona problems. The connector includes a pressure seal at both the wire-connector interface and the male connector-female connector interface with the elimination of voids or air pockets during assembly. The connector is installed without requirement for adhesion, potting or bonding and thereby eliminates the need for extreme process controls.

United States Patent [191 Glover Feb. 26, 1974 HIGH VOLTAGE CONNECTOR [75] Inventor: Douglas Wade Glover, Harrisburg,

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: June 19, 1972 21 Appl. N0.: 263,839

[52] U.S.'Cl 339/94 R [51] Int, Cl H01r 13/52 [58] Field of Search 339/94, 59-61 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,297,828 10/1942 Flatford 339/94 R Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to a high voltage connector, capable of being installed in the field, which displays minimal corona problems. The connector includes a pressure seal at both the wire-connector interface and the male connector-female connector interface with the elimination of voids or air pockets during assembly. The connector is installed without requirement for adhesion, potting or bonding and thereby eliminates the need for extreme process controls.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures HIGH VOLTAGE CONNECTOR This invention relates to a high voltage connector and, more specifically, to a high voltage connector capable of being installed in the field.

Connectors for making high voltage connections are well known in the art. Such connections are normally made under closely controlled conditions to insure the soundness of the connection and the prevention of corona, a common problem in high voltage connections. This problem is even more prevelent where such connections must be made in the field without the benefit of the precision equipment utilized.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an electrical connector for use in the field for making high voltage connections and for repairing damaged high voltage assembly leads in the field without the necessity of utilizing complex equipment and which provides a high voltage connection having minimum corona problems. Briefly, the above is accomplished by providing a high voltage connector wherein a pressure seal is provided at both the interface of the wire and the contact of the connector as well as at the interface of the male and female connector members. This provides a voltage seal by pressure rather than by bonds and thereby avoids the extreme process controls required to obtain reliable bonds, this being especially true in the field.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a field repairable electrical connector which requires no adhesion,potting or bonds.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a high voltage connector having pressure seals for isolating the connection from the exterior of the connector.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an electrical connector for high voltage application for making connections without the use of extreme process controls.

The above objects and still further objects of the invention will immediately become apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration of the following preferred embodiments thereof, which are provided by way of example and not by way of limitation, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section of a portion of the electrical connector in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section of the male connector portion in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in cross-section of the entire connector in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation of a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown an insulated wire 7 secured to a contact member 10 by crimping or the like. A hard plastic electrically insulating supporting column 2, having a shoulder 3 is positioned over the insulated wire 7 and surrounds the contact member 10. A boot I, having an aperture 21 therein for receiving a mating contact, is slidably mounted over the column 2, the boot having a shoulder 16 integral therewith and spaced from the shoulder 3. A resilient member 5 is positioned over the insulated wire and between the shoulder 3 and a screw member 4 having threads 17 thereon and positioned over the insulated wire 7. A barrel 6 having threads 18 which mate with threads 17 is positioned over the screw member 4, the resilient member 5 and the shoulder 3, the barrel including an inwardly extending annular flange 19 positioned between the shoulder 16 and the shoulder 3. The contact member 10 includes a flexible outwardly biased tyne 11 which locks against a shoulder 20 and is removable by inserting a special tool through the aperture 21 in well known manner.

The portion of the connector as depicted in FIG. 2 is formed by placing each of the elements over the preassembled wire 7 and contact 10 in the relationship shown in FIG. 2 and the screw 4 is rotated. Rotation of screw 4 forces back cap 6 toward the screw 4, the flange 19 forcing the shoulder 3 against the resilient member 5 and developing a pressure on the resilient member 5 between the shoulder 3 and the screw 4. This causes a seal between the cap 6 and the wire 7 due to the columnar expansion of the resilient member 5.

The connector of FIG. 2 is mated to a mating member as shown in FIG. 3, by means of a hollow outer threaded member 9 having an inwardly extending annular flange 14 which abuts against the end of screw member 4 at one end thereof and has internal threads 22 at the other end thereof. The threads 22 mate with threads 23 of a male connector 8, the male connector having a contact 13 which mateswith contact 10 to provide electrical connection. Rotation of the connector 8 in the threaded member 9 forces the connector 8 to ride against the shoulder 16 of the resilient boot 1 and thereby forces the shoulder 16 against the flange l9 and places the shoulder 16 under compression. This is done while forcing out the air between the connector members and provides a seal therebetween with substantial elemination of air. It can therefore be seen that a pressure seal is provided by the resilient member 5 between the wire 7 and the connector portion 30 and between the connector portions 30 and 31.

The resilient members 5 and l are preferably formed from silicon rubber, though fluorosilicon rubber or any other resilient electrically insulating material could be used. It should further be noted that all air is removed in making of the pressure seals to prevent corona. This requires the elimination of voids around the contacts 10 and 13 by evacuating the air as the contacts come together.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention wherein four connectors 40, similar to the connector shown in FIG. 2, are secured in a housing 41, the connectors 40 being coupled to connectors 42 in a housing 43 which mates with housing 41. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the threaded portions of the embodiment of FIG. 3 are replaced with a jack screw 44 which is seated in the housing 43 and pulls the housings 41 and 43 together when tightened, thereby placing the resilient members under compression to provide the compression seal as explained hereinabove relative to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a third embodiment of the invention wherein the connector members 50, which are substantially the same as the connector member of FIGS. 1 to 3, are placed in a cylindrical housing 51. The upper cylindrical housing 51 and lower housing 52 are threaded together so that rotation of the upper and lower housing members relative to each other places ali of the resilient members under compression in the same manner as described above for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring now to H0. 6, there is shown a fourth embodiment of the invention wherein the connector members 60 are placed in a housing 61 in a rectangular arrangement, the connector members 60 being substantially the same as in FIG. 4. The resilient members, as in FIG. 4, are placed in compression by means of the jack screw 62.

Though the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments thereof, many variations and modifications will immediately become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:

l. A high voltage connector comprising,

an elongated rigid hollow tubular insulator, for housing a connector secured to an insulated conductor extending into the housing from one end thereof,

a resilient sleeve abutting one end of the insulator for surrounding the insulated conductor,

means for forcing the sleeve axially against said end of the insulator while confining its periphery to compress it into sealing engagement with the insulated conductor,

a resilient boot about the insulator having an end wall substantially covering the free end wall of the insulator,

and means for compressing said boot axially while confining its periphery to press it into engagement with the insulator.

2. A high voltage connector as in claim 1, wherein the means for forcing the sleeve axially while confining its periphery comprises a rigid tubular member surrounding the sleeve and a threaded plug cooperating with threads on the tubular member abutting an end wall of the sleeve.

3. A high voltage connector as in claim 2 wherein the boot is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange at its end opposite said end wall for abutting the end of the tubular member,

the means for compressing the boot while confining its periphery comprising, a tubular housing about said rigid tubular member and flange and a threaded plug member surrounding the boot and abutting said end wall and flange, said plug cooperating with threads on the tubular housing for relative movement with respect thereto to compress the boot against the outer surface of the insulator and its flange against the end wall of the tubular member. 

1. A high voltage connector comprising, an elongated rigid hollow tubular insulator, for housing a connector secured to an insulated conductor extending into the housing from one end thereof, a resilient sleeve abutting one end of the insulator for surrounding the insulated conductor, means for forcing the sleeve axially against said end of the insulator while confining its periphery to compress it into sealing engagement with the insulated conductor, a resilient boot about the insulator having an end wall substantially covering the free end wall of the insulator, and means for compressing said boot axially while confining its periphery to press it into engagement with the insulator.
 2. A high voltage connector as in claim 1, wherein the means for forcing the sleeve axially while confining its periphery comprises a rigid tubular member surrounding the sleeve and a threaded plug cooperating with threads on the tubular member abutting an end wall of the sleeve.
 3. A high voltage connector as in claim 2 wherein the boot is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange at its end opposite said end wall for abutting the end of the tubular member, the means for compressing the boot while confining its periphery comprising, a tubular housing about said rigid tubular member and flange and a threaded plug member surrounding the boot and abutting said end wall and flange, said plug cooperating with threads on the tubular housing for relative movement with respect thereto to compress the boot against the outer surface of the insulator and its flange against the end wall of the tubular member. 